Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-27

try had told him that the fresner v as
on the river, and the high water had
carried away Ford's mills, dozen
miles above us. J
"But how can it do that?" sad I.
GLOW can there be a freshet where it's
all ice?''
:'just because it is all ice, MISS"
said Thomas. 1.-The streams are full
up-country, and the frozen river down
here is giving the water no outlet.
Half the country between here and
there'n be ahoat before morning."
And then came the dull ~oar and rum
BILE, heshock, the thrill, the explosion,
once more.
"Why, this is TERRIBLE" said l. "It
seems as if elemental things were at
work; as if the earth was splittingand
opening" And while we waited and
shivered, as one after another
OF the great explosions came, the
door opened so quickly as
to make us start, and Mrs. Sawyer
ran in, her face as white as ashes.
"A messenger has just gone gallop.
ing BY" she gasped. "My husband
met him. He says the dam at the
falls has been carried away, and the
mayor at Fallstown has sent word by
him to the mayor OF Harborbar to
look out for his BRIDGES"
"And the explosions" said Bryan,
joining us, for we were all looking out
now, in the late twilight, at the long
glass door opening on the river, above
which a purpling mist was hung, lis
the Fallstown people trying to break
up the ice below them with dynamite
l guess we are in for it.
Il don't know what we are going to
do,' cried Mrs. Sawyer. "Of course
the moment the ice breaks up and
goes sweeping down it will make for
the first outlet. and that is on these
grass lands-running in here on the
very first low shore along the whole
course Of the river. 1t is terrifying.
II it were only daylight I wouldn't
mind 1t 50 much. We could see our
way. We could see what was coming.
We should know where we were and
what to do. But in the dark! You
had better come over to our house,
Nan. and whatever we do we will all
do together. Merciful powers what
was that?"
1t was only the wind coming UP
that strong, sweet south wind. 1t
had broken a bough from the old elm
that had fallen Oh the house, and at
the same moment the last explosion
of the dynamite sounded. But it was
enough. Mrs. Sawyer's words were
ringing in my ears. In the dark all at
once / thought could see the torrent
OF broken ice, the great blocks
and sheets of pointed jaggad ice, lift.
ing themselves into one huge wall
and sweeping round the bend and ur
the land, pushed by the mighty swell,
ing of the tide behind-mountiny grind.
ing, sweeping across all this low in.
teryal, over which 1T would crash and
pour and flow, to find the river at a
point below and reach the sea. The
rush OF the great black cold waters
was already upon me, the. sound OF
them IN my ears, the blowing Of the
wide dark water breath. l felt my.
self a helpless straw before them.
did not wait an instant. / never
thought Of the others. I was not con.
scious OF any thought at all; but
screamed, and turned and dashed out
of the house and down the lane, as
fast, as breathlessly, as could race,
through the miro and slush, and up
the narrow road into the wood, feel. |
ing still that chill water breath blow
ing on ME, hearing the terrible sound
Of the rasping, piling, tumbling, roar
ing ice, and | never stopped till l fell
painting. and breathless ana faintina
at somebody's feet, with the warn
breath OF a great stag hound in my
face, and was being lifted in some
body's arms, and saw when I opened
my eyes, by the light of the young vel |
low moon through the wood that it
was Mark, and he was kissing me with |
kiss as long as the space that had
separated us. "Oh. Mark! Mark" J
cried "save me! save me! The freshetis |
coming; it is close upon us; we are ali
drowning! take me up to your house
to your dear old high house, and don't |
let meever leaveit. Oh, Mark, Ilovec |
you all the time! Take me home
Don't let me 60 again. Forgive me-
love ME. Idon't see how you can love
me. | don't see how you can love
anybody so wi|iuE and vixenish and
selfish and hateful; but oh! you must !
you must!'
II am taking you home," said he, as
soon as he had the chance. "Do you
I will let you go again?
shall have to forgive you. What else
IS there for me to- do? / heard about
the freshet. was just on my way to
you. We will have the minister ul
this very evening, if we can get him;
and you shall never SO much as 90 out
OF my arms again"
And he did. And here I am, perfect
ly happy in this, fortress, this prison
on a rock, this dungeon-,so happy
that | have not yet been able to bring
my shocked nerves to the pass even
OF going down again to the grass lands.
where Mark goes down and manages
every thing for me-
And the freshet? Oh, to be sure
Why, you see, that south wind shifted
to easterly, and it froze again that
night. And when it melted, it melted
so gently that the ice went out of the
river without anybodY's knowing it
And there never was any freshet.
The Prose Of Army Life.
From the New York Tribune.
II n